ABC-7 Xtra Sunday – The Data Center Debate

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- The debate over data centers reached a new level in the Borderland this week.

At El Paso City Hall, it took eight hours of discussion and often contentious public comments about the economic incentive contract for the Meta data center now under construction in northeast to reach a vote.

City reps. voted 3-5 against an item to renegotiate and possibly cancel the 380 agreement that gives the Facebook parent company 80% off their taxes for the multi-billion dollar contract for decades.

Following that vote, major questions still linger about the economic and resource impacts to the region.

What is the future for the data center and contract with the city, and what comes next for El Paso?

Sunday night on ABC-7 Xtra, join host Andrew J. Polk as we hear from item sponsor City Rep. Josh Acevedo and a spokesperson from meta itself.

Tune in Sunday at 10:35 PM, right after ABC-7 at 10.

In response to ABC-7 questions about water availability and data center use in the region, El Paso Water sent the following statement:

"We have pie charts on our website (https://www.epwater.org/epwater-discusses-water-service-to-meta) that show that our “very large water users” (industrial) comprise 3% of El Paso Water’s consumption.  With Meta added to that, this category will increase to 3.4%. Through contractual negotiations, EPWater was able to establish clear water use requirements for the Meta facility that will limit consumption to levels that will have a minimal impact on El Paso’s water supply."

Meta also sent a letter from the company and from the Mayor of Los Lunas to City Council ahead of this week's vote: